Ruppersberger to decide on governors race next month

Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, a Baltimore County Democrat,… (Getty )

October 16, 2013|By John Fritze | The Baltimore Sun

WASHINGTON -- Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger will make a decision about whether to seek the Democratic nomination for governor next month -- an effort he would undertake to ensure a Baltimore-area candidate is in the race, he said in an interview with The Washington Post.

"A lot of people have said, 'Dutch, you've got to do this,'" Ruppersberger told The Post. "It's good to have representation from both sides of the state. It's good to have a balance."

The former Baltimore County executive has been flirting with the idea of his first statewide run for months, though he has yet to establish a campaign or fundraising apparatus. He has repeatedly said he's not concerned he would start months behind Democratic candidates Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler, Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and state Del. Heather Mizeur.

All three live in the Washington region. Ruppersberger, 67, lives in Cockeysville.

But the late start would be a significant disadvantage for Ruppersberger, particularly since many of his Democratic colleagues in Congress have already endorsed Brown. And he is missing opportunities for other endorsements. He did not return a questionnaire to the Maryland State Education Association this year, for instance, the first step in securing the powerful teacher union's endorsement.

Ruppersberger served as Baltimore County Executive from the end of 1994 to 2002. He is currently the ranking Democrat on House Intelligence Committee, though his term in that position is set to expire in 2015.